


There'll be Dragon's over the white frostback mountains, tomorrow when the world is free.

by Lorylthorn



Series: Somewhere in Thedas with you [1]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Historical, Awkward Romance, F/M, Gen, Historical References, Other, WW2 Alternate History
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-20
Updated: 2016-03-20
Packaged: 2018-05-27 22:09:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6302188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lorylthorn/pseuds/Lorylthorn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Captain Lorelai Thorn is thrust into the ever changing world of 1940's wartime Thedas.<br/>Fighting side by side with the Inquisition's army, Captain Thorn and her tank company must help to defend Thedas from the ever impending threat that threaten's them all.</p><p>A continue on from 'I know i'm loosing you', a one shot exploring Captain Thorn and Colonel Rutherford's romantic interests.</p>
            </blockquote>





	There'll be Dragon's over the white frostback mountains, tomorrow when the world is free.

**Author's Note:**

> The first chapter is more of a 'getting to know' chapter, trying to outline Captain Thorn and who she is within the Inquisition and her relationship with her piers. The next chapter will touch a lot heavier on the actual Dragon Age Story line I promise!

The sound of gunfire rattled off in the distance as Lorelai sat crouched in her foxhole, her helmet low over her brow as she peered out over the edge of the makeshift barricade she had made for herself. Dead tree and branch lay scattered everywhere, littering the snow covered ground for as far as the eye could see, a painful reminder of the mortar fire that had rain down on them only a few hours previous. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears as she watched out over the snowy ground in front of her, Loose bits of dirt occasionally falling from their perch on her helmet as she moved to look through the fallen tree’s she had piled up. The splintered wood had made for excellent camouflage and had helped the 2nd infantry hold the line against the few Venatori shock troops that had followed the escaping convoy out of Haven. The onslaught had slowed for now, it meant they were retreating - andraste willing. Lorelai hoped this was true as exhaustion pulled at her muscles and fatigue fogged her mind. She had spent more than enough time sat in this damned foxhole and she would be damned if she stayed her any longer than was necessary.  
She sorely missed the discomfort of her Warden tank, and the disgusting smell of Lieutenant Kaid Smith’s burnt orlesian coffee. the thought of the sticky black liquid bought a reassuring warmth to her gut and the irony didn't escape her. Oh how she craved a pot of the ghastly drink right about now. Just to feel the warm trickle of heat down her throat…  
The 2nd infantry had become her battalion, although only briefly and she was hating it. The Battalions previous Captain had fall during the battle for Haven and until his replacement could be found, brave old Captain Thorn had been asked to stand in. The cold harsh metal of the Warden would of been preferable to the chilling damp cold of the ground and being separated from her men wasn’t sitting well with her either, not while they got to guard their makeshift camp under the direction of Major Rylen while she sat in a damp, muddy and overall unpleasant foxhole.  
It had been a good 20 hours since they had left the army base of Haven. It had taken them 8 hours of solid travelling to arrive at the snowy farmhouse they now called home and it had only taken the staff an astounding 2 hours to raise the tents and stoke the kitchen fires. The scent of fresh soup and bread wafted through the frostbacks, bringing a welcome warmth to the men of the 2nd infantry as they sat hunkered down with Captain Thorn, ready and waiting for their relief to come so they could indulge in some of that warm soup that taunted them from the makeshift camp somewhere behind them.

“How long y’all reckon Chevran will be?”

The deep gruff voice of Lieutenant Garret Ryback caught Thorn off guard as she leant against the front of her wooden barricade, cigarette lazily hanging from her lip as she looked out over the snow covered forest that lay in front of them, her hands gripped around the stock of the unfamiliar wooden rifle that sat awkwardly in her hands, She was far more accustomed to the metal body of the tanks onboard grease guns and the metal smg’s her boys carried around.   
The soft thud behind her indicated the coltish Lieutenants entrance into her foxhole and the strong arms that leant over and took the cigarette from her lips bought her full attention to the man that now towered behind her. His signature cowboy hat -which was against regulations - hung low over his eyes, obscuring them from Lorelai but the deep scent of tobacco mixed with cheap orlesian aftershave wafted from him as he took a deep toke of her stolen cigarette and exhaled a plume of light blue smoke. Lorelai watched it dance around the frosty night air while Ryback spoke, enthralled as the smoke swirled and darted through the frosty air and slowly dissipated into nothingness.

“The Major said we’d only be out here till Chevran finished stuffing that ‘ol face of his right Captain?”

“How long does it take a man to eat soup?” 

A rye smile played across Ryback’s lips, waiting for an answer to his question while he fished a half eaten box of K-ration’s out of his trouser pocket. He only had a few biscuits left and with some reservation took a bite out of one of them, crumbs getting caught in the thick stubble that adorned his chin as he chomped away. The harsh snap of stale biscuit against teeth had Lorelai cringing, she never had liked those rations. There was only so much canned pork and crackers you could stomach and the cigarettes that came as standard in each box tasted stale against the back of her throat, even the caramels that came in the box tasted sickly. She could just imagine the cardboard feel and the sawdust taste of those biscuits as Ryback finished it off and stuffed the remaining biscuits back into his pocket.   
With an exasperated sigh She shook her head and fished out another cigarette from the crumpled packet she held in her top pocket before turning back to look out over the remaining foxholes behind her. Most of them were hidden by fallen trees and branches, knocked loose from the Venatori mortar fire that had plagued them earlier.

“Major Rylen has us out here till he can drum up a new CO for the 2nd infantry, until then we’re to stay put,”

“and here I was looking forward to some hot grub,..” 

“Get back to your Foxhole Lieutenant,” Thorn replied, a satirical smirk forming across her face as she listened to the grumble behind her. Lieutenant Ryback was a good soldier and a great leader. he was her second and commander of the 6th Armored’s Able company but did he moan when his stomach was empty, which Lorelai presumed was all the time.  
Stupidly the lieutenant had volunteered himself and the men of able company to aid the 2nd infantry out in the woods. Thorn knew they needed the morale boost, having already lost their CO and a large chunk of their men to the Venatori below and she was happy to have some of her own men with her out in the woods but right now they were suffering from exhaustion as much as she was. She had seen far worse combat during her time in the army, the mortar fire earlier hadn’t even phased her, not after Ostagar but the emotional fatigue that played on herself and the men now was almost crippling.   
48 hours previously they had been celebrating the breach’s close, drinking and dancing in the pouring rain and now they were sat in stupid foxholes up to their eyeballs in mud and snow and god knows what else with no sleep and only the supplies they could carry out of Haven.  
Emotions were running high for everyone, caught in a confused state as they tried to understand how their merriment and joy quickly turned to fear and desperation.

Rutherford had been so close to kissing her that night, she could see his intentions in his eyes clear as day. everytime she closed her own she saw those deep amber eyes of his flash with anger as he tore himself away from her. The pain still throbbed through her chest, distracting her from her duties as she slumped back against the foxhole.   
That was the last memory she had of Haven, and it was a stupid memory of a stupid man trying to give her a stupid kiss! it must of been the alcohol, it was the only thing Lorelai could put her stupid actions down to. Surely the General must of been drinking too, she could smell it on his breath right? No matter what Lorelai thought though she couldn’t get rid of the dull ache that plagued her chest.   
Without thinking She extended a clenched fist and punched the side of the foxhole; dislodging dirt and snow, letting her aggravation get the best of her and instantly regretting it as a flurry of snow fell from the wooden logs above. She laughed a little, lightening up as she looked up at the twilight sky above them. She was loosing track of time out here and what seemed like days had passed since she left the farmhouse they were using as a commander center.   
She could easily make out the sounds of the men around her, smoking and laughing together as they passed the time away. Lorelai could smell orlesian coffee being burnt somewhere to her right and the lazy scent of ferelden tobacco wafting from her left, reminding her of home as she counted the stars above her through the snow covered trees.

***

The recogniseable whistle of heavy artillery brought Captain Thorn’s immediate attention back to the war raging down below in Haven. Wood splintered and dirt erupted from the ground as mortar strikes rained down on what was left of the 2nd infantry. She could hear the muffled shouts as men ran and dived for their respective dugouts. Able company was pinned down to her left, hidden behind a stone outcrop while baker, charlie and dog company were spread around to her right.   
A mad scramble next to her indicated Lieutenant Ryback’s return as he slid across the dirt and dived feet first into the command foxhole, his hand clamped firmly on his helmet as he scrambled to swap his cowboy hat out for the metal shell he now firmly secured to his head. Mud and blood stained his face and hands but with no visible wounds Lorelai ignored it; she knew better then to threat over Ryback but concern poked at her as she watched him rub snow onto his face and scrub at the exposed parts of his hands.  
The loud crack of a splintered tree heralded the arrival of Lieutenant’s O'reilly and Bernstein as they skidded to a stop next to her fox hole, dirt and loose leaves caught up in their uniforms and webbing as they came running full pelt towards her and Ryback, narrowly avoiding the large evergreen that came crashing down to earth in a hail of splinters next to Thorn’s foxhole. Bernstein vaulted over the wooden barricade while O'reilly lowered himself down, still nursing a previously arm wound that had him carrying little more than a pistol, and even that was against the advice of the company medic.  
Lieutenants Davis and Barbara were still out there, Atleast thats what Lorelai hoped as she ducked from another shell that whizzed past the barricade, embedding itself not far past the treeline behind her. She could just make out the shouts for a medic over the loud cacophony that roared around them, the pleas for help against the onslaught that rain down on them.  
Another mortar exploded without ceremony, taking with it 2 soldiers that bunkered down in a foxhole a few feet away. Debris rained around them while the officers of 2nd infantry tried to regain some semblance of control.

“Captain!” 

“Captain what do we do?!”

The ringing in her ears buzzed like static as Lorelai tried to focus on her surrounding. Dirt and blood smeared across her face as she ran an ice cold hand across her cheeks. She paused for a moment, closing her eyes and relishing the feel of ice cold fingers against her skin, lost in the moment as the cold shocked her senses. It took a 5 count for her to even realise O’rielly and Ryback were calling for her attention.

“Garrett?..”

“Orders Captain!” Ryback shouted as he watch charlie companies medic run past, ducking under fallen trees and vaulting over branches in the distance flanked by 2 servicemen with bloodstained jackets. Thorn followed his gazed, remembering what she was going to say before the mortar struck nearby.

“O’Reilly,..Bernstein, Take Baker and Charlie and defend, I don’t want any one of those vint bastards getting past you.” Lorelai confured, shaking her head and pointing out in the direction of dog company, her ears still ringing as she recovered from her daze.

“Tell Davis I want Dog flanking from the right, see if they can get eyes on those mortars! I need him laying our own mortar support!” Lorelai concluded, clutching her helmet as another mortar round hit close by. The distinctive whistling of the enemy rounds followed by the explosive sounds of tree’s splintering rang throughout the forest as the 2 lieutenants took stock of their orders. 

“You got it Captain!”

“Yes ma’am!” 

Thorn waited for O'reilly and Bernstein to scramble towards their respective units before addressing Ryback, She could already hear Bernstein yelling at his radio operator; trying to get hold of dog company over the transceiver while she debated her next order. A look of concern spreading across her face as she looked up at the Fereldan rancher that crouched next to her. He could see the apprehension in her eyes as she spoke and it pained her.

“We haven’t had any contact from Able in a while, Hopefully their radio’s just damaged but I can’t take the risk,” Lorelai swallowed hard as she turned back behind her, watching Charlie company push past her and into the cover of the foliage in front.

“I need you to take the rest of your platoon and find them for me, They were last seen here,” Thorn motioned as she pulled out an aerial map of the surrounding forest and point a gloved finger against the thick card stock.

“Come in from behind and keep low, we don’t know what's happened to them,”

“You never give me them easy jobs, It’s like ya’ll have it out for me,” Ryback smirked, taking in the map before Captain Thorn folded it up and placed it back into a pocket.

“If I had it out for you Cowboy, you’d be back at base working as Leliana's personal bitch but seeing as I don’t have the capability for such cruelty, you’re stuck babysitting Able. Now go!”

“Able company it is!” With a hop, skip and a jump Rybeck was running off towards his men, Shouting orders at the tank company and leading them off towards the stone outcrop that separated them from 2nd infantry's Able company.

***

Night had fully descended upon the 2nd infantry before any news arrived from command. Captain Thorn had been fighting shoulder to shoulder with the men of Baker company as they fought to hold ground against Venatori infantry. There wasn’t many, only stragglers that had followed them up the mountain. The majority of the Venatori army having retreated in favour of warm food and more hospitable weather, trust the ‘Vints to give up because it was cold.  
The thought amused Lorelai as she dumped her rifle on the floor, grabbing at the cigarettes in her top pocket with frost bitten fingers, trying her hardest to fish a lone cigarette out of the box with socks over her fingers, her gloved doing little to alleviate the cold that had permiatted her digits.

“Captain Thorn?!”

“I'm looking for a Captain Thorn?!” 

“Ah Captain! Command’s sent me!” the voice came from somewhere behind her, only just loud enough to be heard over the rumble of the jeep’s engine as it pulled up infront of her and the men she had been fighting with, all of them dotted around the area wrapped in whatever scrap of cloth they could find, whether it was their uniform or the Vinatories.

“Captain Thorn! Orders from Major Rylen Ma’am!” The sergeant no more than 20 said, saluting as he passed her a piece of paper before he was set upon by men, the supplies in the back of the jeep distributed quickly among the soldiers as they passed around K-Ration’s and water. Ammunition was shared between companies as Lorelai read the scrap, rolling it between her sock covered fingers in the cold to keep them moving.   
Her orders were to return to HQ for debriefing, Lieutenant Davis was receiving a field promotion effective immediately and she was to hand responsibility over to him. It was good news for her at least and Davis was a strong leader. The 2nd infantry were to hold for another hour, 2 max until their relief arrived then they were to stand down and return to base for something warm to eat.

“Looks like we’re going home,”

“Looks like we are Cowboy,” Lorelai replied as Ryback strolled around the jeep, snatching up a fresh box of K-ration’s out the back as he went. There was something about those crackers that Ryback liked and Lorelai had absolutely no idea what it was, they tasted foul to her.

“Davis is taking over command,” Lorelai mentioned, flapping the note in her hand around, passing the crumpled scrap to Ryback when he gestured.

“Least it ain't me Captain,”

“You think i’d let Rylen take you from me? he knows full well i’d kick his ass from here to the Free Marches if he tried something that stupid,”

The familiarity between herself and Ryback always amused Lorelai, she hadn’t been a massive fan of the cocky fereldan when he was assigned to her unit, He was far too outspoken for her liking and the deep orlesian drawl her spoke often had her second guessing what he said. Now the two of them were thick and thieves much to Major Rylen’s displeasure and he had on several occasions tried to split the two of them up. Even going as far as to offer Ryback a field promotion and battalion of his own to command which he had politely turned down in favour of Captain Thorn.

“Good job you’re not the jealous type or anything,”

A smirk could be seen spreading across the lieutenant's face as he read the scrap of paper a 3rd time before handing it back.

“I'd start to believe you were jealous of the major if you were,” a hand quickly slapped Ryback across the chest before quickly bowing the scoop up the rifle that lay abandoned on the snow below. Sock covered mits pawed at the rifle strap before swinging it over a shoulder and headed for the Jeep that had bought the orders.

The journey back to command wasn't that far, Maybe 15 minutes or so of hazardous potholes that if you weren’t careful would've launched your ass back to the camp well before the jeep had made it past the treeline surrounding it. The ride was enough to reunite even the hardiest of men with their lunch and Lorelai could feel her stomach turning as they entered the compound. Ryback didn’t look much better with a biscuit hanging loosely from his mouth and his tan stetson low over his pale brow. With a quick exchange of nods and a shrewd smile from Ryback, the two officers alighted from the jeep and jogged the final 100 yards or so back to command, Ryback stopping briefly to clear his stomach of food knocked free from the ride back. Ryback caught Thorn’s arm as she made her way for the door of the old farmhouse the inquisition had commandeered.

“I’ll see you back at camp,” he smirked while hitting the bottom of a cigarette box, his attention more on the box then her as she nodded back at him.

“Check up on Rainier will you, see what repairs we can manage before we’re expected to move again?”

“Got it Captain,” Ryback chirped in response, blue smoke dancing around him as a sigh of relief exhaled from his lips, he headed in the direction of the mess tent while he puffed away, a grey haze engulfing him as he walked out Lorelai’s view.

The door to the farmhouse wasn’t as sturdy as it looked and with a little too much effort Lorelai pushed it open, flinching as it smashed against the wall behind it with quite a bang. All eyes in the room instantly turned to her as she entered the cramped confines of the houses living room, worry and relief marked every face as it turned to look at her. Too frequently had runners arrived to inform the officers gathered of the rising death toll inflicted upon the inquisition. Lorelai could see the pain written plain as day across the face of captain Chevran as he rubbed a bandaged hand across bleary eyes, O’donnell was leaning against the makeshift war table; staring intently at a tin mug of coffee while Harris flicked through bloodstained pages of a book he still hadn’t finished reading; vague recognition flittering behind his eyes as he stared blankly at the red soaked pages with indifference.

“How’s it looking?” Chevran finally asked, standing up straight while removing the khanki wool cap he wore. Mud still stained his forehead and red gashes lined his left cheek, souvenirs from a heavy tank round that had wiped out half a squad of men he was aiding.

“Quiet,” Thorn replied, distracted while she discarded her rifle on an old couch that had been pushed up against a nearby wall. She slowly removed the moth bitten socks from her hands and painfully peeled away the ice cold gloves that had frozen to her palms.

“They’ve retreated, but i’m not sure for how long,” she finally continued as she approached the war table, helping herself to a mug of coffee as she looked over the map that lay out on the table in front of them. The usual mass of green figures littered the map, there was far fewer of them she remembered and now a large wave of red was pushing up through the map, cutting off some small units of green and isolating others. Who where they and what did they want…  
Lorelai’s thoughts were cut off as the door to the farmhouse swung open again, a flurry of snow kicked up as the huddled figures of the inquisitions leadership forced their way in against the wind that had picked up outside. Lady Liliana headed the procession, her thick purple hood hidden under a layer of snow while ambassador Montilyet followed behind her, her clipboard still covering her hair like a makeshift shield against the snow as the two women entered. Following up the rear was Major Rylen, his brow furrowed and his voice low in conversation with the Inquisition forces commander, Colonel Cullen Rutherford.  
The General raked a glance over the collection of officers that lined the walls, stopping to look at O’donnell briefly before glancing over at Chevran then Harris who still clutched the blood stained book in his hands. Lorelai could almost feel his stare, strong and commanding as he looked out over the surviving officers that had made it out of Haven. She still mourned the loss of Friar and Hall was still in the infirmary under medical supervision, The doctors weren’t sure if he would pull through but Lorelai had fingers crossed, all the officers did.  
Lorelai watched out the corner of her eye as Rutherford strode over to the war table, taking a place next to lilliana while Lorelai took a deep sip from her coffee, enjoying the warm bitter taste as it trickled down her throat. It felt like fire against the sharp cold air she had been breathing all day and the feeling had caused a burning sensation to engulf her chest, it was a welcome distraction from the war table and the close confines the small room now forced on the assembly. Funny that she should feel constricted now when she spent most of her time in a cramped metal tin can.

“Everyone here?” Rutherford prompted, his voice gruff against his throat as he bit back a cough. Rylen passed him a mug of lukewarm coffee and Rutherford took the tin cup without hesitation, knocking back the drink in one mouthful and wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve.  
A sea of faces nodded back at him as he scanned the room, his gazed lingered for a second as he caught Captain Thorn looking back at him, Black rings surrounding her eyes with blood and dirt still caked to her face. It was hard to forget that the men and women inside this room were more than just soldiers as exhaustion marred their faces just as much as the blood,mud and soot did. Fatigued pulled at their bodies and fogged their minds and he could see it all on Lorelai’s face as she took another sip from her mug, the liquid leaving a ring of wet mud where the coffee had met her dirt covered face, coffee dribbled down her chin and she whipped it away with the muddy sleeve of her tankers jacket, smearing wet mud and coffee across her cheek. The hard set expression on his face didn’t budge but his eyes betrayed him as he look out over the faces that watched him patiently.

“Um yeah,..” Cullen started, gathering his thoughts as he looked back down at the table below him, remembering his train of thought as he shuffled through the pile of aerial photo’s that Lilliana had bought with her.

“We’re moving out, 0600,” Cullen continued, rolling out the area map and laying it against the table, knocking over unit markers as he did so. O’donnell flinched at the sound of the wood scuttling across the table but calmed when Lorelai leant a reassuring hand on his arm, she could feel the tension pouring off him as he sat there in silence, his breath racing as he calmed.

“Captain Thorn, I want your tanks leading the trek,” Lorelai raised an eyebrow as she looked up at the Colonel and Rutherford could easily make out the concern that lit up across her face.  
“We have no idea what could be up ahead and I want heavy support up front to combat it, Chevran will be your feet on the ground,” 

“ Yes Commander,” Lorelai replied, turning to look over at Chevran who just shrugged at her in response. Neither Captain wanted the position as lead but If the Colonel wished it then they would do it, there was a higher chance of losses leading but with the armour hopefully they would minimise the casualties if they were attacked.

“ Right, well. We're to make camp here” Rutherford gestured, pointing to a patch of barren land a few miles north.

“We will need to secure it fast if we're to land our bombers before the reserves empty, We're looking at a 6 hour window before they start dropping but here,” Cullen leant, pointing down to a clearing on the map while the captains huddled around, taking a more valued interest in the briefing as Cullen explained the situation regarding the inquisitions heavy bombers planes. 

“Dorian and the crew of the Tevinter queen are already running on fumes, you need to get up and secure that clearing fast,” Lilliana jumped in, her orlesian accent sounding harsh as she rushed to finish her sentence. 

“ quite so nightingale,” Cullen conceded before continuing on with the list of orders he had to rattle off regarding camp detail and organisation.

Blank faces looked back at Rutherford as he ploughed on with orders, He continued to point fingers and push uprighted models around a map and talk a load of nonsense that Lorelai couldn’t keep up with. By the end of the debriefing she could feel her eyelids closing and her mind drifting off, Sleep fogged her mind as Chevran jabbed her with an elbow, catching her off guard and bringing a squeak to her lips as she spilt coffee down her front.

“I hope i’m not boring you Captain,” Lorelai could just imagine the firm set of eyebrows that were looking over at her.

“Sorry Colonel,” she replied, dropping the coffee mug to the war table and rubbing the bridge of her nose in exhaustion. A yawn formed across her face as she looked up at her commanding officer.  
“I know it's been a long few days for everyone. soon we will be able to rest but till then I need everyone ready to move out,” Rutherford sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with a free hand as he looked out at the concerned faces that looked back. he couldn't be prouder of his officers, they were battered and broken and had worked far harder than even he had anticipated them too. They had fought harder and fiercer than any other soldiers he had had the pleasure of fighting with. He owed it to them to find somewhere safe to rest at the very least.


End file.
